Going for Broke
by BittersweetSonata
Summary: Lucy is a hardworking girl who part-times at a maid cafe. Natsu is a delinquent and the very definition of a 'bad boy.' They don't get along at all, so what happens when he discovers her secret? Definitely not love...right?


**summary: **Lucy is a hardworking girl who part-times at a maid cafe and hates guys. Natsu is a delinquent and the perfect definition of a 'bad boy.' They don't get along at all, so what happens when he discovers her secret? Definitely not love...right?

**chapter title: **The Secret Life of Lucy Heartfilia

**pairings: **Natsu & Lucy, Gray & Juvia, Gajeel & Levy, Jellal & Erza

**notes: **I've been sucked into Kaicho wa Maid-sama, and I'm not coming out. So if you could overlook the cheesiness of it all...

**thoughts: **Three cheers for Fall Out Boy, yeah?

**disclaimer: **I own nothing.

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_{We could stay young forever} _

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"Do you want to come over today?" Levy McGarden questioned the blonde walking beside her.

Cana Alberona grinned and pumped a fist in the air. "Yeah, why don't you come? We're going shopping."

"We haven't seen you outside of school in a while." Juvia Lockser put in, smiling.

The three girls, plus another, were walking out of the school grounds together. It was a cloudy autumn day, and the students of Fairy Tail Academy were just beginning to leave after club activities. They mixed and mingled at the gates before turning and heading toward home or their part-time jobs.

Fairy Tail Academy had once been an all-boys school, but since then had become coed. However, about eighty percent of the students were still boys, and so there were very few girls who attended the academy. Another reason for that was because the school was also known for its delinquents, who were notorious all around Magnolia and among the other schools of the area.

As the four girls neared the gate, a blur came flying from the sidelines and towards Levy. She let out a sharp gasp, before a hand shot out and caught the offending object. The other girls blinked in surprise and the students around them started to whisper among themselves.

Lucy Heartfilia tossed the ball up before catching it again as she looked over the crowd surrounding them. Her russet-colored eyes scanned the sea of students before landing on one in particular. Her pink lips pulled back into a small smirk as she threw the ball back.

It whizzed over several students' heads before a tanned hand reached out and grabbed it. The teen perched in the tree above everyone smirked down at her, showing off his sharp canines. The entire courtyard fell into a hush as he jumped down from the tree and tossed the ball behind him to another guy.

He shoved his hands in his pockets, his dark onyx eyes shining as he regarded the girl before him. The cool autumn breeze ruffled his cotton candy pink locks and iconic white scarf. He sent the blonde a lazy grin.

"Nice catch, Heartfilia."

Lucy scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Your pitch is getting lazy, Dragneel." she smirked. "A five-year-old could have thrown better than that."

There were several badly stifled gasps from the crowd of students around them, and the blonde crossed her arms. It was well known by everyone in the school that Lucy Heartfilia and Natsu Dragneel did not get along well. They were enemies, in a way. Actually, no one knew why they didn't get along, but nobody really wanted to press the matter either.

Natsu smirked and nodded toward her. "Just wait, Heartfilia. I'll get you one day."

The blonde huffed before grabbing Juvia by one arm, and Levy by the other. She sent the pink-haired teen a contemptuous smile before pulling the two girls along with her. "Come on, let's go. How was flower arranging today, Juvia?"

Everyone remained silent as the four girls left the schoolyard, with Cana turning last minute and sending them all a wide smirk. After the girls had disappeared, the loud whispers broke out again as students discussed the scene.

"Did you see how she reacted to that?"

"She caught the ball awfully fast, she never even turned her head!"

"She's almost as scary as the Student Council President…"

"Ah! No! Don't say her name!"

Gray Fullbuster tossed the baseball in the air a few times, catching it each time before it hit the ground. He eyed Natsu lazily. "I know that look, flame-head. What're you planning?"

The teen smirked to himself before turning to his friend. He shrugged and gave the dark-haired delinquent a wide grin. "Nothing. Just tell Gajeel I won't be there today."

Gray narrowed his eyes, but nodded in return.

* * *

"Aw, so you can't come?" Levy looked up at her best friend.

Lucy sighed and shrugged, a small smile on her face. "Afterschool part-time job, you know how it is."

Cana adjusted the bag on her shoulder. "Yeah, yeah. We know and we understand. We'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

The blonde sent her a grateful smile and waved as the brunette dragged her two other friends down the street. "Thanks! See you tomorrow!"

"Bye Lucy!" Juvia smiled and waved cheerfully as Cana pulled her along by her school sweater.

Lucy sweat-dropped before turning and heading towards her place of employment. She spared a furtive glance about her surroundings to make sure that no one she knew was around before walking on. It was getting later on in the afternoon, and the people of Magnolia were milling about the streets, either heading home or going for food.

The blonde continued on her course for a while before turning a street corner. She almost jumped out of her skin when she noticed a small group of students from Fairy Tail laughing and window-shopping. She ducked into a shop and waited for them to move on. When it was clear, she turned and waved at the confused owner, sending him a sheepish smile before she headed out.

After taking a few more turns and casting several quick glances over her shoulder, she arrived at her destination. The whole street consisted of small but prosperous shops, but the blonde stopped at one in particular. She smiled before opening the door and walking inside. The small bell above the door gave a pleasant ring as she shut it, and she was greeted with a smile.

"Lucy you're here! Great! Come on, go get changed. We're unexpectedly busy today so you arrived just in time." the owner and manager of the small shop, Mirajane Strauss herded the teen into the back of the store.

The blonde blinked a few times before smiling. "Um, sorry that I'm late. I ran into some students from my school and had to dodge them."

Mira waved a hand. "It's no problem. Just hurry and get changed, okay? You'll be assisting Kagura today if she has too many customers."

Lucy sent her a salute. "Yes, of course!"

The blonde turned and opened the door to the changing and locker room before slipping inside. She walked over to her locker and opened it, slipping her schoolbag off and stowing it inside. She pulled out her uniform and quickly changed into it, before turning to look at herself in the mirror.

She was greeted with the image of a blonde girl dressed in a fancy maid's uniform. The black dress flared out and barely reached her knees. Her apron was short, white, with ruffles, and a heart pocket patched on it. A small white corset edged with black lace was laced snugly around her waist, and the bust of the dress was made of ruffled white fabric stitched together in intricate folds. The rest of her attire consisted of knee-high black socks, black boots, and a ruffled white headpiece.

With a sigh, she fixed the separate white collar and tied the black bow around her neck before turning and putting her other clothing inside her locker. She closed the door and dragged herself out of the changing room and into the main dining room where the customers were waiting.

For clarification, Lucy Heartfilia lived with her sickly mother. Her father had left them a few years before with a tremendous debt, and since Layla Heartfilia was easily sick, Lucy took on a job at Mirajane Strauss' small maid café, Mermaid Heel. Albeit it was an unintentional application that she put in – in other words, she had no idea it was a maid café/cosplay shop in the beginning – Lucy easily got the job. Mira was an understanding boss, and she really enjoyed working there.

No matter how ridiculous her work uniforms could be.

"Ah Lucy! There you are!" the blonde froze at the voice of her coworker, Jenny Realight.

Lucy liked all of her coworkers fairly well, despite the obvious gap in their personalities, and it was no different with Jenny. However, her fellow blonde was quite a bit more into her job then Lucy was. Jenny was always very exuberant about her work, even though she had a weird relationship with Mirajane. The two were good friends, but at the same time shared a strange sort of rivalry. It was both amusing and scary.

"Yes?" the younger blonde blinked at the twenty-five-year-old.

Jenny threw an arm around her and pulled her close. "You poor dear, having to work with grumpy old Kagura today." Lucy shifted uncomfortably as the blonde twisted her forefinger into her cheek. "I feel so sorry for you."

"I can hear you Jenny." Kagura Mikazuchi deadpanned, not looking up from the menus she was organizing.

Jenny smiled and waved a dismissive hand. "So? Anyway Lucy, you should trade with someone else or something. I'd be more than happy to work with you today!"

Lucy held up her hands and pulled away. "Er…no, no. That's okay Jenny, really. I don't mind working with Kagura, honestly."

The dark-haired young woman turned and gave Jenny a small smile. "See? Lucy doesn't mind working with me. Now go on, shoo." she waved her hands lightly.

Jenny narrowed her eyes at the other woman before turning on her heel with a huff and walking over toward a table. Kagura rolled her eyes and handed Lucy a small stuck of menus. "She just doesn't want to work with Erza."

Lucy blinked in surprise. "But working with Erza isn't that bad. I don't mind it."

Kagura cracked a smile. "I suppose. She's good at what she does."

The blonde nodded and watched as the scarlet-haired girl went around taking and serving orders with a great flourish. "Y – yeah, she is."

"May I ask you something, Lucy?" the older woman question as they headed over to take orders.

Lucy smiled. "Yeah, that's fine."

Kagura gave her a sideways glance. "Why is it that Erza and yourself try so hard to keep your jobs here a secret?"

The blonde sighed and tilted her head to the side, a distant smile on her face. "Well, Erza is Student Council President, and all the boys refer to her as 'the demon president' because she's so strict. She's really reformed Fairy Tail, and all the delinquents with the exception of a few, are afraid of her. So I guess she's trying to protect her position. You know, because who would fear a girl who works at a maid café part-time? She wants to keep up her image. Or at least, that's what she's told me before."

Kagura nodded in understanding. "And you?"

Lucy blinked at the sound of the bell above the door and started over to greet the customer. Before she reached them, she turned back to the still waiting Kagura and smiled. "Because it's embarrassing."

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**end notes: **Based off of my new favorite shoujo manga, but not exactly the same. There are and will be more differences. Haha. This is fun.


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